Automatic dishwashing compositions comprising quaternary substituted bleach activators

Abstract

Automatic dishwashing detergent compositions, comprising particular quaternary-substituted bleach activators, are provided. More specifically, the invention relates to granular automatic dishwashing detergents which provide enhanced cleaning/bleaching benefits through the selection of quaternary-substituted bleach activators having specific features, such as caprolactam or valerolactam leaving groups and/or the ability to form particular cationic aliphatic peracid structures in solution. Preferred automatic dishwashing compositions comprise amylase enzymes. Included are preferred activator compounds and methods for washing tableware in domestic automatic dishwashing appliances using the activators.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An automatic dishwashing detergent compositions comprising: a) from about 0.1% to about 10% of a quaternary substituted bleach activator wherein said activator is selected from the group consisting of monocationic compounds having the formula: (E--Z--C(O)--L)(Y a-- ) 1/a  wherein E has the formula R 1  R 2  R 3  N +   wherein any R is independently selected from methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, phenyl, benzyl, 1-napthylmethylene and 2-naphthylmethylene, Z is substituted or unsubstituted polyalkylene, arylalkylene, arylpolyalkylene, polyalkylenearyalkylene or polyalkylenearylpolyalkylene, L is a leaving group having a pKa above 13 and selected from the group consisting of caprolactam and valerolactam provided that from 2 to about 16 atoms separate the nitrogen in said moiety E and said moiety C(O); a is 1 or higher; and (Y a-- ) 1/a  are said charge-balancing compatible anions; and   b) from about 1% to about 33.3% of a source of hydrogen peroxide.   
     
     
       2. A nonphosphate granular composition according to claim 1, wherein said quaternary-substituted bleach activator provides a quaternary-substituted aliphatic peracid on perhydrolysis. 
     
     
       3. A composition according to claim 2, further comprising a catalytically effective amount of an amylase enzyme. 
     
     
       4. A composition according to claim 1 wherein Z has formula selected from: --(CH 2 ) n  -- wherein n is from about 3 to about 12; and --(C 6  H 4 )(CH 2 ) n  -- wherein n' is from 1 to about 8. 
     
     
       5. A composition according to claim 4 wherein E is selected from the group consisting of: (CH 3 ) 3  N + , (CH 3 ) 2  (C 6  H 5  CH 2 )N + , (CH 3 ) 2  (Np)N +   and mixtures thereof, wherein Np is said naphthylmethylene; and Z is --(CH 2 ) n  -- wherein n is from about 3 to about 6. 
     
     
       6. A composition according to claim 5 wherein said charge-balancing compatible anions are selected from the group consisting of: sulfate, alkanesulfate, chloride, alkane sulfonate, aryl sulfonate, alkaryl sulfonate, polycarboxylates, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       7. A composition according to claim 6 wherein said charge-balancing compatible anions are selected from the group consisting of: alkanesulfonate, alkarylsulfonate and aryl sulfonate, provided that the critical micelle concentration of the sodium salt form of any of said sulfonates is 10 -1  molar or above. 
     
     
       8. A composition according to claim 6 wherein said charge-balancing compatible anions are selected from the group consisting of methanesulfonate, ethanesulfonate, benzenesulfonate, p-toluenesulfonate, cumenesulfonate, xylenesulfonate, naphthalenesulfonate and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       9. A composition according to claim 8 wherein said quaternary substituted bleach activator is: ((CH 3 ) 3  N +  (CH 2 ) 5  C(O)L) (pTs) -   where L is caprolactam and pTs is p-toluenesulfonate. 
     
     
       10. A composition according to claim 6 further comprising additional bleach-improving materials selected from the group consisting of: i) transition-metal bleach catalysts;   ii) diacyl peroxides; and   iii) mixtures thereof.   
     
     
       11. A composition according to claim 3 wherein said amylase is an oxidative stablity-enhanced amylase wherein oxidative stability is enhanced from substitution using threonine of the methionine residue located in position 197 of B.Licheniformis or the homologous position variation of a similar parent amylase. 
     
     
       12. A composition according to claim 4 which is substantially free from chlorine bleach and phosphate builders, comprising: a) from about 3.3% to about 33%, by weight of composition, of said hydrogen peroxide source selected from the group consisting of percarbonate, perborate, and mixtures thereof;   b) from about 0.1% to about 10%, by weight of composition, of said quaternary substituted bleach activator;   c) from 0% to about 3% of a diacyl peroxide; and   d) from 0% to about 2% of a transition-metal bleach catalyst.   
     
     
       13. An automatic dishwashing composition according to claim 12 further comprising from about 0.1% to about 10% of a low foaming nonionic surfactant. 
     
     
       14. An automatic dishwashing composition according to claim 13 which is substantially free of anionic surfactant. 
     
     
       15. An automatic dishwashing composition according to claim 14 further comprising from about 1% to about 50%, by weight of composition, of pH adjusting component; wherein said pH adjusting component provides a wash solution pH of at least 8. 
     
     
       16. An automatic dishwashing composition according to claim 2 having granular form comprising from about 0.1% to about 10% of said quaternary substituted bleach activator; wherein the melting-point of said quaternary substituted activator is at least 30° C. 
     
     
       17. An automatic dishwashing composition according to claim 15 further comprising a conventional non-charged bleach activator. 
     
     
       18. A granular or powdered automatic dishwashing detergent composition which comprises, by weight: (a) from about 0.1% to about 10% of a quaternary substituted bleach activator; wherein said quaternary-substituted bleach activator is selected from the group consisting of monocationic compounds having the formula: (E--Z--C(O)--L)(Y a-- ) 1/a  wherein E has the formula R 1  R 2  R 3  N +   wherein any R is independently selected from methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, phenyl, benzyl, 1-napthylmethylene and 2-naphthylmethylene, Z is substituted or unsubstituted polyalkylene, arylalkylene, arylpolyalkylene, polyalkylenearyalkylene or poly-alkylenearylpolyalkylene, L is a leaving group having a pKa above 13 and selected from the group consisting of caprolactam and valerolactam provided that from 2 to about 16 atoms separate the nitrogen in said moiety E and said moiety C(O); a is 1 or higher; (Y a-- ) 1/a  are said charge-balancing compatible anions; and said activator provides a quaternary substituted aliphatic peracid on perhydrolysis;   (b) from about 1% to about 5%, on an available oxygen basis, of hydrogen peroxide source selected from the group consisting of percarbonate, perborate and mixtures thereof;   (c) from about 0.1% to about 5% of an amylase;   (d) from about 0.1% to about 5% of a protease;   (e) from about 1% to about 50% of a pH adjusting component, said component providing an initial wash solution pH from about 9.5 to about 11;   (f) from about 0.1% to about 10% of a low-foaming nonionic surfactant;   (g) from about 0.1% to about 25% of a dispersant polymer;   (h) from 0% to about 1% of a chelant;   (i) from 0% to about 2% of a silicone suds suppressor;   (j) from 0% to about 3% of dibenzoyl peroxide;   (k) from 0% to about 2% of a transition-metal bleach catalyst; and   (l) from 0% to about 5% of a conventional bleach activator.   
     
     
       19. A method for cleaning soiled tableware comprising contacting said tableware with an aqueous medium having a pH of at least 8 and comprising at least about 500 ppm of a composition according to claim 2.